Pharmacy Graduates Research Articles

Explaining the influence behind Malaysia’s pharmacy students’ career choices within the pharmaceutical industry

Objective: The pharmaceutical industry has been portrayed as a promising sector for pharmacy graduates. Nonetheless, little is known about pharmacy students’ preferences, knowledge, and attitudes toward careers in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the factors that may influence them. Method: A self-developed questionnaire was administered to pharmacy students in public and private universities in Malaysia from October to November 2018 via online platforms. Results: Only 38.8% out of 433 students who completed the survey stated their preference for working in the pharmaceutical industry. The mean (SD) of knowledge, perceived syllabus, and attitudes related to pharmaceutical industry career preferences were 8.73 (1.77) (full score of 12), 28.50 (5.83) (full score of 40), and 30.59 (4.32) (full score of 50), respectively. Students from private universities, those in years one and three of study, and those with higher attitude scores were more likely to choose the pharmaceutical industry as their career option. Conclusion: Increasing exposure to pharmaceutical industry careers that involve patient contact and clinical knowledge application is needed to improve students’ attitudes toward pursuing a career in this field.

An exploration of the mental health and well-being of postgraduates in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science programs

BackgroundPostgraduate students enrolled at colleges and schools of pharmacy are at an increased risk of experiencing difficulties with mental health and well-being; however, there is minimal work exploring mental health and well-being among postgraduates in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science programs. Objectives(1) to explore the current mental health and well-being of pharmacy postgraduates, (2) to identify factors that promote and hinder mental well-being at the individual and organizational levels, and (3) to explore perspectives regarding organizational priorities, resources, and support tools that may improve the mental health and well-being of postgraduates in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science programs. MethodsThis study conducted a cross-sectional survey of postgraduates in pharmacy and pharmaceutical science programs. Surveys were distributed electronically via the American Pharmacists Association’s (APhA) broadcast e-mail system to postgraduate members and through the professional networks of APhA Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science (APhA-APRS) Postgraduate Advisory Committee members. The survey had 3 sections: demographics, current mental health and well-being status, and barriers and facilitators to mental health and well-being. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were generated for quantitative survey responses. Open-ended responses were categorized and presented with each question. ResultsFifty-one responses were analyzed. The sample had a mean age of 29.0 ± 6.6 years, included 58.8% women or womxn, and most were in doctoral programs (58.8%) for 2.3 ± 2.7 years in various disciplines. There were 27.5% of respondents categorized as having flourishing mental health and 7.8% with languishing mental health. Factors such as practicing self-care or engaging in hobbies (94.1% for each) were most commonly rated as having a positive impact on well-being, and societal racism and discrimination (66.7%) was most commonly reported as having a negative effect on well-being. Top priorities for postgraduates included work-life balance, career prospects, meaningful relationships, and financial concerns. ConclusionThere are a number of organizational and institutional priorities that may improve pharmacy and pharmaceutical science graduate students’ mental health and well-being.

International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Studies

This paper deals with the beginnings and historical evolution of Pharmacy studies in Great Britain and on the role played by the first women who practiced the profession there, The circumstances of that time, which made it very difficult for a woman to work in that area, the biography of the first English woman licensed in Pharmacy, Fanny Deacon, and the biographies of the women who followed her as graduates in Pharmacy in Great Britain are commented, detailing not only their personal data but also the impact they had on the evolution and development of Pharmacy studies in their country. These women were Alice Vickery, Isabella Skinner Clarke, Margaret Elizabeth Buchanan, Rose Coombes Minshull, and Agnes Thompson Borrowman. The main objective of the paper is to reveal the figures of these first women in Pharmacy in Great Britain to society, To do this, the methodology used has been usual in researches of this type: search of data on these women in bibliographical and computer sources, as well as in historic archives. As the main results, the biographies of these pioneers pharmacist women mentioned above have been elaborated.

Developing a team-based assessment strategy: direct observation of interprofessional team performance in an ambulatory teaching practice

Background: High functioning interprofessional teams may benefit from understanding how well (or not so well) a team is functioning and how teamwork can be improved. A team-based assessment can provide team insight into performance and areas for improvement. Though individual assessment via direct observation is common, few residency programs in the United States have implemented strategies for interprofessional team (IPT) assessments. Methods: We piloted a program evaluation via direct observation for a team-based assessment of an IPT within one Internal Medicine residency program. Our teams included learners from medicine, pharmacy, physician assistant and psychology graduate programs. To assess team performance in a systematic manner, we used a Modified McMaster-Ottawa tool to observe three types of IPT encounters: huddles, patient interactions and precepting discussions with faculty. The tool allowed us to capture team behaviors across various competencies: roles/responsibilities, communication with patient/family, and conflict resolution. We adapted the tool to include qualitative data for field notes by trained observers that added context to our ratings. Results: We observed 222 encounters over four months. Our results support that the team performed well in measures that have been iteratively and intentionally enhanced – role clarification and conflict resolution. However, we observed a lack of consistent incorporation of patient-family preferences into IPT discussions. Our qualitative results show that team collaboration is fostered when we look for opportunities to engage interprofessional learners. Conclusions: Our observations clarify the behaviors and processes that other IPTs can apply to improve collaboration and education. As a pilot, this study helps to inform training programs of the need to develop measures for, not just individual assessment, but also IPT assessment.

COVID-19: STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF E-LEARNING & E-ASSESSMENT PLATFORMS UTILISED IN PHARMACOLOGY CURRICULUM DELIVERY

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the move to open and distance learning (ODL) mode for all higher education institutions in Malaysia. This has also impacted the curriculum delivery for B.Pharm students at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA. Although there has been a gradual shift in health-related education delivery over the past decade, with e-learning being increasingly utilised, this was mostly meant to be a supplement to conventional face-toface teaching methods. The untimely change brought upon by the pandemic has resulted in several challenges, including inadequacy of ICT infrastructures and unpreparedness in curriculum delivery. Pharmacology is a fundamental component of the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. The extensive amount of knowledge to be delivered and learnt, as well as the hurdles of delivering it completely through the ODL mode rendered an already complex subject even more challenging to teachers and students alike. After more than a semester of ODL, evaluation and optimisation of learning needs to be carried out. Regular curriculum review and reassessments of existing teaching delivery methods are important in ensuring that the learning process is as effective as possible to adequately prepare pharmacy graduates. An important factor to be considered in curriculum review is students’ perception of their educational experience. One of the very basic necessities of ODL is ensuring that a decent online platform is utilised for curriculum delivery. This research assessed students’ views on e-learning implementation, focusing on their perception of the suitability of online learning platforms used in pharmacology courses in the B.Pharm (Hons) programme during the COVID-19 period. Google Classroom is ranked highest in terms of suitability, followed by Gradescope and YouTube. The findings of this study will facilitate the faculty and content developer in making a more informed decision when improving the online-learning process

Exploring Factors Associated With the Motivation of Clinical Pharmacists: A Focus on the South African Context.

Introduction: Pharmacy practice in many middle to low-income countries has slowly transitioned from being product-focused to a more patient-focused clinical practice. Lack of motivation is one of the factors contributing to the scarcity of pharmacists in the wards. As little is known about motivation in clinical pharmacists, this study aimed to obtain insight into the quantity and quality of their work motivation and factors associated with it.Methods: Self-determination Theory, used as the framework, describes autonomous motivation as being generated from within or through personal endorsement and controlled motivation as originating from external factors. An online questionnaire including the Academic Motivation Scale to measure autonomous motivation, controlled motivation and amotivation, was sent to clinical pharmacy graduates from 2000 to 2020 across South Africa, followed by interviews to explain some results. Independent t-test was used to analyze differences in motivation of clinical pharmacists to perform clinical services based on personal and environmental factors. Interview data were transcribed and analyzed to explain significant quantitative findings.Results: Higher amotivation was found in graduates who are currently not practicing in dedicated clinical pharmacist positions, as well as in graduates who do not receive additional financial benefits for clinical services. We found no significant differences in the work motivation of clinical pharmacists based on their gender, age, current practice setting, work experience and additional training received. The interviews revealed that relatedness and autonomy are the most important factors for clinical pharmacists' work motivation.Discussion: Overall participants had a high mean autonomous motivation, a high mean controlled motivation and low mean amotivation. In line with Self-determination Theory literature, considering the basic psychological needs for relatedness and autonomy could assist with designing interventions, like creating a supportive work environment, to optimize motivation. This could improve professional wellbeing, service implementation and prevent possible adverse events. Future research is necessary to understand barriers and facilitators of clinical pharmacists' work motivation.

A required course in leadership, entrepreneurship, and administration in pharmacy

Context: Worldwide, there is growing interest in equipping pharmacy graduates with the requisite skills to assume responsibilities related to management and leadership in the profession. To meet this need, the required course “Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Administration in Pharmacy” is provided as a culminating experience for pharmacy students. Description of course: In this course, students learn concepts related to management, leadership, and entrepreneurship and complete assignments including financial statement exercises, human resources management simulations, personal leadership development plans, and business plan projects with professional poster presentations. The course in its current form has been offered four times to 541 students. Evaluation: Student evaluations (n=214) show the course is well-received and provides opportunities to develop knowledge and skills not covered previously. As the pharmacy profession is constantly evolving, students need a strong foundation in management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Sharing experiences from this course will aid faculty at other institutions wanting to include similar topics in their curriculum.

Reflection on remote teaching and learning of a final-year BPharm clinical training module during a pandemic

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in innovative and creative changes to educational practices in order to produce pharmacy graduates amidst a global crisis. Experiential learning was unable to take place during the highest levels of lockdown in South Africa with access to health care facilities restricted to essential staff only.

How should we prepare pharmacy graduates for a world in which the only certainty is change?

Pharmacists contribute to patient care in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent healthcare landscape. Clinical decision making is growing more complex and more diverse, despite technology-enabled systems to assist with the vast amount of new knowledge. We find that as practice evolves, the profession is forced both to consider how we enhance generic graduate capabilities and how to recognise disciplinary expertise and perspectives. This demonstrates the scale of the challenge facing schools of pharmacy today; correspondingly, it suggests the need for the profession to look ahead collectively, something the Pharmacy Forecast Australia project has endeavoured to facilitate, with its key findings presented in this issue of the JPPR.1 Technological advances will continue to have far reaching consequences not only at an individual level but also for society more generally. Amid these changes, the future of health and health care must be person-centred and socially accountable, focused on maintaining well-being. It should be enabled by digital transformation, increased availability of data, and steered by higher public expectations for accessible healthcare. Increasingly, to address chronic health concerns, patients require more complex medicines taken over longer periods of time and these current and evolving trends offer workforce challenges and opportunities to deliver high quality care now and in the future. Because of this, pharmacists and the pharmacy profession more broadly have an important and increasing role in ensuring safety and quality of care. Appraising the evidence base and applying clinical reasoning and professional judgement which optimise outcomes and minimises risk for the person are core competencies for pharmacists. Any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a pharmacist in their profession. Practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes working in a direct, non-clinical relationship with clients; working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles; and other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the profession.2 The need for pharmacists working closely with patients, their carers, and other members of the healthcare team is also recognised in our National Medicines Policy, and in the inclusion of Medicine Safety as a National Health Priority Area. A look through the lens of future health care and the healthcare system identifies the broader societal need for interprofessional, collaborative healthcare teams where pharmacists play a prominent role in fostering patient-centred care. The future of health care demands interprofessional teams, which requires pharmacists to bring their expertise to the team to address the diverse and complex healthcare needs of our society. Successful interprofessional communication enables pharmacists to engage in collaborative practice sharing their skills and knowledge with other health professions and clinicians to influence clinical decisions and enhance outcomes from medicines. Further, leadership development is a critical component of programs of study leading to registration and included in the accreditation standards. Leadership is required across the system – including development of the technical pharmacy workforce – and necessarily involves management of financial and human resources, health economics, clinical governance, and health informatics. As for today’s leaders, collaborative efforts between universities and our professional and clinical stakeholders to prepare the profession for tomorrow – with Pharmacy Forecast Australia a key example – are our best chance at sustaining and improving our overall contribution to patient care in a world in which the only certainty is more change. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Pharmacy graduates' perceptions of competency, integration, and social accountability in the undergraduate curriculum of pharmacy schools in Nigeria

IntroductionAn integrated, competency-based curriculum that fosters social accountability including cultural sensitivity among graduates is an educational strategy towards producing practice-ready professionals. This study aimed to evaluate pharmacy graduates' perceptions of competency, integration, and social accountability in the undergraduate curriculum of Nigerian schools of pharmacy. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey consisting of a 42-item questionnaire was administered to 467 purposively selected pharmacy graduates who completed their undergraduate training between January 2012 and February 2020 from 20 accredited Nigerian pharmacy schools. Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the differences in the participants' responses on a Likert scale. ResultsOf 467 participants, 54.4% felt that the Nigerian undergraduate pharmacy curriculum was not adequate in content, while 54.2% felt the courses in the curriculum were not well integrated to facilitate easy learning by students. About half (50.6%) strongly agreed or agreed that “the basic pharmacy courses are well synchronized with the clinical components” but 28.9% strongly disagreed or disagreed. The majority (88%), with no significant difference between gender (z = −1.615, P = .11), strongly agreed or agreed that they apply knowledge of clients' culture and disparity to deliver pharmaceutical services. ConclusionsMarginally above half of the graduates perceived the Nigerian undergraduate pharmacy curriculum to be deficient in course content. There is evidence of limited integration and social accountability in the curriculum. Cultural sensitivity appears to be a component of the curriculum but this needs to be properly structured. The pedagogy strategy for learning cultural sensitivity should be further interrogated.

Using real-world cases, innovation and rhetorical tools to teach social pharmacy

Background: Innovation refers to the process in which individuals or organisations transform ideas into novel products, services or processes. Pharmacy graduates are increasingly expected to have the competencies necessary to find innovative solutions to medicine-related challenges, particularly solutions addressing patient´s need and societal aspects of medicine use. Objective: To describe and discusses the rationale, development, implementation and evaluation of the pharmacy course ‘Contemporary Social Pharmacy’ (CONSOC), and to summarise lessons learned. Methods: Several methods and models were used to develop, run and evaluate the course. The course examination consisted of a written report and an oral presentation and defence of the report. The course was evaluated through a student assessment questionnaire and oral and written feedback from case providers and the teachers. Results: Three selected case reports representing particularly innovative solutions are described. The student evaluations revealed that nine out of 14 course learning objectives were either fully or partly fulfilled, and that what students liked best from the course were the teamwork, the open discussions, the real-world cases and the innovation features. The teachers and case providers also found the course rewarding and extremely positive. Conclusion: Teaching innovation opens up new possibilities for educators and researchers. The CONSOC course introduced several novel components, but the increased complexity of the course also presented challenges to students and faculty alike.

Student and pre-registration pharmacist performance in a UK Prescribing Assessment.

Student and pre-registration pharmacist performance in a UK Prescribing Assessment': room for improvement and need for curricular change Background Increasingly the global policy direction is for patient-facing pharmacist prescribers. The 'UK Prescribing Safety Assessment' (PSA) was developed for medical graduates to demonstrate prescribing competencies in relation to the safe and effective use of medicines. Objectives To determine PSA performance of final year undergraduate student pharmacists (year 4) and pre-registration pharmacy graduates (year 5) and explore their opinions on its suitability. Setting Scotland, UK Methods Final year undergraduates (n = 238) and pre-registration pharmacists (n = 167) were briefed and undertook the PSA. PSA questions were mapped to specific thematic areas with 30 questions over 60min. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. A questionnaire was completed to gauge opinions on appropriateness of the PSA. Main Outcome Measure PSA scores Results Mean total PSA score for pre-registration pharmacists (64.4, SD 10) was significantly higher than for undergraduates (51.2, SD 12.0,) (p < 0.001). Pre-registration pharmacists performed significantly better across all question areas (all p < 0.001 other than 'adverse drug reactions', p < 0.01). Hospital pre-registration pharmacists performed statistically significantly better than community with higher overall scores (67.4, SD 9.8 v 63.2, SD 9.8, p < 0.05). Positive views on the appropriateness of the approach and the usability of the online interface were obtained from participants. Conclusion Hospital pre-registration pharmacists performed better than the undergraduates, but there is a need to improve prescribing skills in all, most notably in diagnostic skills. The PSA is acceptable to the participants. These results will help inform pharmacy curricula development and provides a cross-disciplinary method of assessment of prescribing competence.

The Need to Educate Pharmacy Students in Telepharmacy and Telehealth

The global pandemic has dramatically impacted how pharmacists connect with patients. Telepharmacy and telehealth technologies are being used by pharmacists in a multitude of settings to positively influence the health and wellbeing of patients. Having pharmacists that are prepared to deliver services using telepharmacy and telehealth necessitates that Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students receive tele-education. Tele-education topics may include telepharmacy and telehealth, audio and visual technologies, etiquette, law, reimbursement, and privacy and confidentiality. In many cases, the pandemic has required pharmacy programs to incorporate tele-education into curriculums quickly, resulting in limited and underdeveloped experiences for students. Tele-education should be purposefully incorporated into curriculums through a combination of didactic, simulation, and experiential training. Programs should evaluate how tele-education is taught within their curriculum and share those experiences with the Academy as pharmacy graduates will likely be providing patient care services using telepharmacy and telehealth.

Socially shared metacognition in a project-based learning environment: A comparative case study

Despite an increase in research on social regulation of learning, studies on socially shared metacognition are still scarce. This has led to a lack of understanding concerning how groups co-construct metacognitive knowledge, skills, and experiences. In this comparative case study, we qualitatively analyzed video recordings from the meetings of six groups of pharmacy graduate students. For this, we developed a coding scheme that characterized the metacognitive processes of small groups in a project-based learning environment. Using log data collected from a collaboration app, we distinguished which groups rated themselves the highest and lowest overall for metacognitive experiences and then examined differences in the socially shared metacognition processes between these groups. We were able to map 100 strategy codes into four categories with various subcategories representing the cognitive and metacognitive processes used by both groups. We also found that the two groups did not differ on the proportions of different modes of regulation but did differ qualitatively, with the high self-rated group's strategy enactment being more deliberate, targeted, and cohesive than that of the lower self-rated group. Our findings expand understanding of socially shared metacognitive strategies, which has implications for those who aim to improve collaboration by promoting appropriate group-level processes. • Socially shared metacognition was qualitatively analyzed and compared in groups. • Code mapping showed four types of sequential cognitive and metacognitive processes. • The high self-rated group used more deliberate and targeted strategies. • The high self-rated group utilized a “more regulated other.” • The “more regulated other” helped the group navigate group-level regulation.

Learning styles preferences among graduate and undergraduate pharmacy students in Pakistan: Does it matter?

Introduction: The quality of student learning depends on the approaches that are used for learning. An association exists between different learning methodologies and learning outcomes. Objective: The present study was designed to assess preferences for different learning styles among pharmacy students in Islamabad, Pakistan. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. A self-administered pre-validated questionnaire VARK version 8.0 was distributed to 387 undergraduate students from both public and private pharmacy schools located in Islamabad and 100 graduate students selected from public sector pharmacy schools using the convenience sampling technique. After data collection, it was cleaned, coded, and analysed using SPSS version 21. Results: The results of the present study showed that the most common learning style among graduate students was Aural (Total Score = 492), followed by kinesthetic (Total Score = 467), read/write (Total Score = 351), and visual (Total Score = 290). On the other hand, the most common learning style among undergraduate students was Aural (Total score = 1926), followed by kinesthetic (Total score = 1859), read/write (Total score = 1241), and visual (Total score = 1166). Conclusion: The result of the present study concluded aural as the most preferred learning style followed by kinesthetic among both undergraduate and graduate pharmacy students. Graduate female pharmacy students showed more preference towards kinesthetic learning style as compared to graduate male students who showed more preference towards aural learning modality. However, both undergraduate and graduate male and female students preferred aural learning style. Identifying the learning style at the start of pharmacy degree can help mentors to assess the appropriate field for them after graduation. Moreover, information regarding such styles would be helpful for stakeholders to devise effective strategies for teaching and introduce changes accordingly into the curriculum.

Assessment of the nutritional knowledge of undergraduate pharmacy students: The need to advance nutrition education in the training of pharmacy students

Objective: This study aimed to assess pharmacy students’ knowledge of aspects of nutrition relevant to pharmacy practice and as a means of imparting information through feedback to support learning and professional development. Method: 230 pharmacy students completed a 30-item nutritional informal assessment questionnaire, along with confidence assessment questions. Students were asked about the sources of information they used to answer the knowledge assessment questions, their learning experience with regards to nutrition, and their inclination to learn more about nutrition. Results: Generally, Year four pharmacy students had significantly higher scores than Year two students. However, their overall performance was still lower than that expected of graduate pharmacists. About 75.0% of the study participants agreed that they would like to learn more about nutrition. Conclusion: This study indicates the need to integrate better nutritional education into the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. The results also suggest a need for Malaysian schools of pharmacy to offer focused learning on nutrition aligned with national health priorities and the competency level in relation to nutrition of pharmacy graduates in the country.

Entrustable professional activities for pharmacy students: A primer for solid organ transplant preceptors.

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles , AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. The role of a solid organ transplant pharmacist is multifaceted and translates to diverse experiential and elective learning experiences that can be provided to pharmacy learners. Here we provide a guide to integrating pharmacy students into patient care and other pharmacist activities in solid organ transplantation. Thoughtful incorporation of learners into clinical practice and clinical research creates a positive learning environment for pharmacy students that can foster the development of core skills necessary for students to become "practice-ready" and "team-ready" pharmacy graduates and can equip them with valuable skills to incorporate into the specialty practice areas and careers they pursue. To help develop these educational experiences, attention to the list of core entrustable professional activities (EPAs) established by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy can help create a rich environment of learning with carefully cultivated tasks. Furthermore, learners can serve as transplant pharmacist extenders to assist in overall patient care and multidisciplinary involvement on the transplant team. This article serves as a "how-to" guide for applying the EPA framework to integrating pharmacy students in patient care and other pharmacist activities in solid organ transplantation and other specialty practice areas. As pharmacy preceptors design and operationalize their teaching to incorporate EPAs, they can benefit from recommendations tailored to specialty practice areas such as solid organ transplantation. Students may start and finish these experiences at different EPA levels, but continuance of training will allow them to achieve the final EPA level across the 6 EPA domains.

Delayed antibiotic prescription in upper respiratory tract infections: a new trend?

Abstract Background Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are one of the main reasons for consultation in primary care. Approximately 60% of all antibiotic prescriptions aim at the treatment of URTI, even without a laboratory-based diagnosis. Delayed antibiotic prescription in primary care has shown to reduce antibiotic consumption, without increasing risk of complications, yet is not widely used. Rapid tests to confirm the etiology of URTI are available at pharmacies, but not purchased routinely. In this context, the aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of rapid tests for the diagnosis of URTI, and the awareness of strategies to decrease antibiotic use. Methods A team of experts in the field developed a questionnaire specifically for the purpose of this study. The Pharmacy graduate students of ESTESC-Coimbra Health School (Portugal) answered the questionnaire online. Results Over 90% of the respondents with a URTI stated that the general practitioner prescribed the antibiotic without a lab test. When given the option, 58% are willing to pay up to 50 Euros for a rapid test, yet are not familiar with any brand. Although the respondents aren’t familiarized with the concept, when asked, the majority (87%) are more likely to choose a delayed than an immediate prescription. Conclusions Pharmacy graduates are willing to support the use of delayed prescription, to give time for the lab confirmation of the diagnosis. A broader dissemination of the clinical evidence supporting the use of rapid tests and of delayed prescription is necessary to help managing URTI.

ASHP Foundation's forecast report feels more relevant than ever this year

ASHP Foundation's forecast report feels more relevant than ever this year

It matters how we do it: A review of best practices of Observed Structured Clinical Examination in pharmacy education

Objective: Since the introduction of the Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in medical education more than four decades ago, OSCEs have been adopted by a majority of healthcare professional education programmes, including pharmacy. This article aims to review the best practices as well as explore novel approaches to the use of OSCE in pharmacy education. Method: As with any assessment method, the development of OSCE stations starts with blueprinting. Personnel involved in the OSCE are briefed and adequately trained, based on their expertise and prior experience to ensure the efficient running of the OSCE as well as help maintain the reliability and validity of the assessment process. Conclusion: The OSCE assesses a range of clinical and communication skills, yet it is resource-intensive and requires extensive planning. However, it must be considered an important and essential means to develop and assess the skills required by the pharmacy graduates for safe future practice.